Bulldog Dining in Style – Conversations with Stella

Stella: We bulldogs are fascinating creatures. There is always a question to ask about us.

Me: Snoopey and Tiger would rather eat food off the floor than food out of their bowls. Why?

Stella: Why not?

Me: Why not? Because food on the floor can have dirt or dog hair in it. Food on the floor can be stale, something dropped and missed a day or two ago. Food on the floor can have been stepped on by humans or dogs or, worse, by a cat.

Stella: Ewww! I hadn’t thought of that! Cat feet!

Me: Is that all? Cat feet? What about dirt and hair and staleness and…

Stella: I think you have forgotten the main point, Lady Human.

Me: Eating off the floor is the main point.

Stella: Nope. Being a dog, and more specifically, being a bulldog is the main point.

Me: But even a bulldog should prefer fresh food in a bowl to old nasty food on the floor. AND if they can’t find food on the floor, they deliberately spill their food out of their bowls and proceed to eat the floor food. Why? I just want to understand.

Stella: I don’t understand the question.

Me: You never see humans spill their food on purpose and eat it off the floor.

Stella: So, what’s the problem?

Me: You don’t do it.

Stella: No, I don’t, but I am the Queen. It wouldn’t do to have the bulldogs see me eating off the floor.

Me: So why do Tiger and Snoopey do it?

Stella: Personal preference. Don’t you humans believe in freedom?

Me: But why just those two?

Stella: Maybe eating off the floor feels more like the hunt to them. They don’t really have to find food, but it is more of a challenge than kibble in a bowl, more like the old, old game of survival.

Me: And you don’t like that game.

Stella: Lady Human, I am far too civilized to go back to the old ways. Just keep putting my food in a shiny silver bowl, thank you. The only time I hunt is when I don’t have to.